Local TV Station to Air in Spanish / Telemundo Affiliate Set to Start By Next Year on Channel 45

December 11, 2007

By DOUGLAS DURDEN

Richmond is gaining a Telemundo affiliate – WKYV-Channel 45, a low-power TV station that will broadcast the Spanish-language network.

The station, which is currently testing its signal, belongs to ZGS Communications, a Hispanic-owned broadcasting company with headquarters in Arlington County. WKYV is expected to launch by early next year.

ZGS, which started as a production company in the 1980s, already owns nine TV stations in half a dozen states.

Most of those stations are low-power, meaning their reach is limited. Two – KTDO in El Paso, Texas, and WZDC, serving the Washington market – are full power. The company also owns three AM radio stations; two in Tampa, Fla., and one in Washington.

Telemundo, a channel owned by NBC Universal, is a 24-hour Spanish- language channel providing original programming.

Local programming and local advertising will be added as the station becomes established, said Tara Ballesteros, ZGS’ communications director. WZDC, for example, airs a local newscast as well as community affairs programming.

“Historically, ZGS has gone into growing markets where the Hispanic population is growing,” Ballesteros said. “One of our most recent acquisitions before Richmond was Raleigh.”

Initially, WKYV won’t be offered on cable TV.

“We go into a market, get the signal up, get the engineering work done, then we start pursuing discussions with the cable company,” Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros also emphasized ZGS’ commitment to local communities.

“We’re a television broadcaster, but that’s not all we do. Our D.C. station has a yearly family expo and a health and lifestyle outreach campaign. We use our influence with viewers to get them involved in the community.”